2003 ford focus ignition key will not turn now.
2003 Ford Focus electrical complaints
Page 5 of 19: complaints 101 to 130 of 522, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I have a 2003 ford focus se. The key will not turn when you put it into the ignition.
I was stranded with my 2003 ford focus because they key would not turn in the ignition. I finally was able to get my car towed to a mechanic at 2am and was able to get a ride home. I am very fortunate nothing happened to me - who knows what could have happened that late at night. I had to get the ignition replaced which cost $400. It is ridiculous that this has not been recalled.
Ignition cylinder locked unable to drive ford focus 2003. Cost of ignition cylinder, new key (1), reset of computer = $480.00.
In 2007, two weeks after purchasing a 2003 ford focus I was left stranded on a sunday evening in blizzard like conditions in anchorage alaska after the ignition on the focus suddenly stopped working. There was no warning prior to the part failure that there was any problem, the vehicle operated perfectly one moment, then I was unable to even turn the ignition key the second. I ultimately had to have the vehicle towed to a dealership for the part to be replaced with a new but unimproved ignition (that may fail again - again stranding me - perhaps in a less populated area). Additionally, my fiancee has a 2000 ford focus whose ignition failed on him tonight - also stranding him. The fact that the ignition fails without notice is dangerous and leaves the operator of the vehicle in an unsafe situation.
July 2010 ignition is locked, key will not turn in ignition. It was happening every now and then but today, july 7, 2010, it will not turn at all even with tapping lightly on the end of the key and pulling the steering wheel down while turning the key nothing has yet to be done as I am still waiting for ford to decide if they want to pick it up! June 2010 driverside spring coil snapped - no letter to the owner of the ford models when the problem was a known safety issue and was covered under a warranty extended by ford (because they knew of the problem) june 2009 - driverside firehawk gta factory installed tire blew right off the steel rim, leaving the steel from the tire on the rim ... This happened in my driveway and not while I was driving the vehicle, thank goodness.
After warranty expired, put key in ignition and could not turn car on. This was due to a suddenly failing ignition system. Had to replace entire ignition column and was stranded for three days while we figured out the problem. This is a safety issue considering it is a well known problem and many people have been stranded in bad areas or during bad weather.
Key fails to turn after driving to work. 03 ford focus. Can not start. Will call for repairs and find cost. Ford would not replace or offer solution due to mileage.
I have a 2003 ford focus and the ignition and the key suddenly won't turn in the ignition. I have looked this problem up online and it looks like a far too common problem. My wife is 8.5 months pregnant, and I thank god this didn't happen any later as it is our only vehicle. Please take prompt action against ford and make them issue a recall! Thank you.
Key gets stuck in the ignition. Ignition will not turn. This happens just about every time an attempt is made to turn the car on for approximately one year. Multiple attempts must be made and excessive force to engage key must be used. After contacting several locksmiths and being repeatedly told that this problem can only be repaired by a ford dealer due to the computer needing to be programmed to match a chip in the ignition and key, a local ford dealership was contacted. A customer service employee reported that it can be replaced for $250. But that it is a common problem with no guarantees that the ignition would not need further replacement for the same problem in the future. Ignition will no longer turn at all resulting in the key snapping in the ignition. Entire ignition will need to be replaced.
My 2003 ford focus is having an ignition problem - my key will not turn in the ignition - I am now stranded and have to call aaa for help - they just left - have to have ignition replaced by dealer.
Key will not turn ignition. It is progressively getting worse. Last night I was stranded late at night and had to call someone to come get me. I tried for over an hour to get it to turn. From what I am finding out this is not a problem that I have. There have been many many complaints of this. This part should be recalled!
Key would not turn in the ignition on my 2003 ford focus wagon. Was stranded at a drive in movie theater at 2am with 2 small children and the windows down as it started to rain.
Ign key will not turning key gets stuck left me stranded in a bad high crime area I under stand that this is a problem on all the focus why is a recall mot been done.
The original ford car key for my 03 ford focus will not turn in the ignition sometimes. Ill say about 25% of the time it won't. And I haven't fixed it yet.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford focus. The contact stated when he placed his key in the ignition, the ignition switch locked and would not turn over. The dealer was contacted and advised him to bang on the steering column to allow the key to turn the ignition. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the ignition switch was replaced. The failure mileage was 53,600 and the current mileage was 53,850. Updated 7/20/10 *cn updated 07/23/10
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford focus. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the ignition switch became stuck and she was unable to start the vehicle for three hours; she also noted that the steering wheel would not move. The steering column had to be taken apart so that the steering wheel would move so the wheels could line up in order for the vehicle to be towed home. The contact had not called the manufacturer at the time of the complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
I own a 2003 ford focus. Sometimes the ignition locks and the key will not even turn in the ignition, leaving me stranded. This problem began a few weeks ago. It has gotten progressively worse. Until tonight, when this problem has occurred, the key would turn the ignition after 5 - 10 minutes. Tonight, the problem lasted for over an hour and I had to call a tow. I was stranded in a bad area. Having looked up this issue online, I can tell it is an all too common problem for ford focus model years 2000 - 2003.
Ignition cylinder lock sticks, unable to turn key and start car.
2003 ford focus ignition won't turn over the past month the ignition has been slowly increasing in the number of times that it will lock up and won't turn. It used to work for me to put the key in pull out, wait a few seconds then put it back in and it would work. On 5/3/10 my ignition would no longer work and I was stranded in a parking lot on my way home from work. No repair has been completed yet, but I will be looking into it.
Key won't turn in the ignition of our 2003 ford focus just happened today - no prior problem with ignition will most likely call a locksmith.
2003 ford focus se ignition key would not turn to unlock steering wheel and start car while car was parked. Ignition cylinder removed & replaced with a better part by locksmith in 25 minutes at a cost of $317. This part should never fail.
No previous indication of any problem, just went to my 2003 focus and could not turn the key. Went in the house and got the other key. It would not turn. The ignition column is permanently locked. Ford has known of this failure for 10 years and done nothing??? Why is there no recall for such an ongoing and known defect? I'm surprised I have not heard of deaths related to this as weather conditions, robbery or rape could certainly contribute to this fixable problem. Shame on ford.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford focus. The contact stated that ABS indicator light and brake indicator light illuminated on the instrument panel and illuminated on an intermittent basis. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership for a diagnostic test where the contact was informed that there was corrosion around the circuit board of the instrument panel. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The contact felt that the failure was a safety hazard because the circuit gave false warning indications. The current and failure mileages were approximately 75,000.
The ignition of my 2003 ford focus se, locked up on me and left me stranded in a parking lot.
Ignition locks up and can not turn key to start engine.
My 2003 ford focus has a ignition switch problem all of a sudden the key will not start the car it has left us stranded and has taken us as long as 30 minutes to start car. We have tried several remedies like silicone spray, tapping on key so it will start this problem has effected a host of focus owners with costly repairs and we will soon have to spend money to repair this obviously flawed design.
2003 ford focus, zx3, 2.3 liter. The key will not turn in the ignition. This has happened about 6 times, leaving me stranded twice. We are calling a lock smith to re-key the ignition and doors again.
I just recently bought my 2003 ford focus. Just this week the key would not turn in the ignition and my steering wheel would be locked. I was always able to get my car started after a few tries or 10 minutes or so. Today I sat in my car for 40 minutes trying to get my key to turn; it would not. I had to leave my car at the school which I work at, since I am a teacher, and be picked up. I have just read online that many people have or are having this same issue and that there is no recall on the ignition yet. I am confused as to why. This is a safety hazard as it leaves you stranded and to not be able to get your car started is a big deal. If it was just my car, fine, I would get it fixed with no issue. But to read that hundreds or thousands of people and ford focus' are having this same issue is a little outrageous and something needs to be done. Thank you.
The ignition switch (that is, where the key goes to start the car) would not turn. I was stuck and had to have the car towed. There had been no warning, that is, the key was never hard to turn, I never had to jiggle the steering column, or anything liked that. I just parked the car in front of a store, and five mints later, went out and found out they key would not turn. (I could remove and re-insert the key, it would not turn) . Further more, the dealer and aaa, of course, say to try jiggling the steering wheel. All that did was lock the front wheels in a turned position and made it very hard to move the car get it to a position to be towed. Having the wheels lock in a turned position, as is common, could be a hazard too. The aaa guy could not free (turn) the ignition switch it either. I had first cell-phoned called the dealer, they had no suggestions. I see I had the same problem so many other 2003 focuses have reported. The dealer guessed that the cause was that one of the pins in the lock just slipped out of place. The ford dealer had to replace the ignition switch. It was not cheap. I called ford motor company they would not pay for it, or part of it.
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